The Hindu : BJP chief warns against `vilification campaign'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 05, 2002

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BJP chief warns against `vilification campaign'

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI May 4. The BJP president, Jana Krishnamoorthy today criticised the Opposition parties, particularly the Congress for their ``poisonous and exaggerated attacks and vilification campaign against the BJP and its allies'' and warned that his side could also play the same game.

If his party paid back in the same coin, they would not be able to ``sit in Parliament.'' He `advised' the Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi ``to be careful in what she says.''

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Krishnamoorty said he did not grudge the Opposition's right to criticise the Gujarat Government or the Centre ``but they are crossing all limits.''

It was also responsible for observing constitutional and democratic norms.

The Congress could move a no-confidence motion against the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi in the Assembly or against the Vajpayee Government in Parliament but it had no constitutional authority to demand the resignation of Mr. Modi.

He took objection to other states demanding the resignation of Mr. Modi and asked what if the BJP sought the resignation of the West Bengal Chief Minister, Budhadeb Bhattacharya.

The BJP leader said the Defence Minister, George Fernandes was being maligned by the Opposition.

``The record of his speech in Parliament was available'' and anyone could verify it. He did not say anything that would amount to disrespect to women.

He said that people out to malign the BJP and its allies had crossed all limits and cited an article ``by a well-known writer'' in a magazine which stated that the daughter of the former Congress MP, Ehsan Jaffery who was burnt by a riotous mob in Gujarat, was stripped first and then burnt. ``But now Mr. Jaffery's son writes in a newspaper to say that none of his sisters lives in India and that they are all safe in America,'' he said.

He appealed to the Opposition to cooperate in restoring normality in Gujarat.

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